Glitter Girl: Grace Atwood

We love any girl who adores sparkles as much as we do at Glitter Guide, so it’s no secret that we’re big fans of Grace Atwood, the voice behind Stripes & Sequins. Grace’s blog is the perfect combination of fashion and beauty inspiration, personal style and DIY projects, all with a sparkly twist. And Grace herself is just as darling as her blog. We love how passionate she is about her work, and how much fun she has with fashion. Oh and we’re also totally envious that Grace, who handles social media for Bauble Bar, has access to so many gorgeous accessories!

Tell us about your blog, Stripes & Sequins and why you started the site? Stripes & Sequins is a hodgepodge of fashion, lifestyle, beauty and DIY. I have so many interests that I sort of just write about all of them. Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing when I started the site nearly four years ago. At the time I was working in a very corporate environment. I spent my days making PowerPoint decks and crunching numbers and was pretty unhappy at work. I just wanted to have a little place to share inspiration and things I loved. I had no idea that blogging could turn into a business, or all of the interesting things it would lead me to.

How do you balance your full time job and your blogging business?
It can be hard but I like to think I have it down to a science. I write most of my posts late at night or during the weekend, so that I can have a life during the week. There are certainly some really late nights in there, and it takes discipline (i.e. not drinking too much at a fun dinner party so that I can get home to finish a post.) I shoot my outfits the morning before with my photographer Lydia. Having someone to photograph and edit all of my photos makes life much easier.

The honest truth is that I am so passionate about both my blog and my job that I would be lost without either one. My coworkers at BaubleBar are some of my best friends, and my blog is my baby. I wouldn’t be me without either one. I think that passion is what keeps me going. The hardest thing is making time for myself. I literally have to schedule it on my calendar or it won’t happen.

“My coffee table is always piled high with books. It makes the table less functional but makes the apartment feel so much more like home. I always have a candle burning…even in the middle of the day!”

What are some of the highlights of your blogging career thus far?
There have been so many. Being featured in different magazines and working with brands are both cool, but the number one best thing is that I have made real, true genuine girlfriends who I trust and love so much through blogging. And I’ve gotten to meet some of my favorite designers through my Designer DIY series. And I loved being able to help my sister launch her business via the network of blogging pals I’ve made along the way. It’s really all about the people.

What is your style philosophy?
Keep it simple (and sparkly). I think it’s also important not to get too caught up with the trends. I’m big on splurging on classic pieces I’ll have forever and buying the rest at Zara (or making it myself!).

What are your favorite local spots to shop and eat?To be honest, I do most of my shopping online as I don’t have that much free time. But I love Otte in the West Village, and Catbird in Brooklyn. Love, Adorned in the East Village is another cool spot. I love all of the cozy restaurants in the West Village (Cafe Cluny and Malatesta are two of my favorites), Mexican at Los Feliz, ABC Kitchen (the sundae is heaven!).

“This crystal covered toolbox was a gift from Swarovski and is one of my treasured possessions. It is so sparkly and has my twitter handle on the front!”

We love your sparkly DIY projects! They are always so fun, but simple enough for us to take a stab at. Where do you find inspiration for them? Have you ever had any DIY fails that didn’t make the blog?
So besides being a big crafter, I’m also a big shopper. I’m always on Shopbop and Net-a-Porter and before I buy anything I ask myself if it’s something I could make. If I can make it, it gets pinned to my hidden DIY pinboard. When I’m out shopping I get inspired too. My iphone is a mess. There are so many photos of things I want to make. Funny you should ask about the fails, as I’ve had a lot of them lately. The most memorable was trying to make a metal cuff bracelet I saw out of a wire coat hanger. It was going to be amazing. It went horribly wrong.

“Here I’m working on a fun little (shourouk inspired!) DIY project that is coming soon to the blog!”

“These are a few of my favorite design books piled with nail polishes and Baublebar necklaces. I have the Bijou Gem Strand in several colors. It’s a great basic necklace and layers easily with other necklaces.”

Where do you find inspiration on the web and what are some of your favorite blogs?
I have a lot of favorites. I have 370(!) blogs in my Feedly and read them daily. I have to, it is part of my job at BaubleBar to be on top of everything going on in the blogger world. But I have my personal favorites, too. I never miss a post from Honestly WTF, Cheetah is the New Black, vmac+cheese and Could I Have That?.

What are three things always in your handbag?
Burt’s Bees chapstick, a hair tie and my iPhone.

“I add whatever is inspiring me at the moment to my inspiration board. A sweet note from a friend, swipes from magazines, and of course, lots of jewelry! My favorites are from Baublebar, J.crew, Lulu Frost, and my grandmother’s jewelry box.”

“Fresh sunflowers from the farmers’ market, and this fun business card holder. I love elephants.”

“My office space! I keep it decorated with prints from Furbish and Note to Self’s print shops, and you’ll see that there is a lot of jewelry here (a recurring theme!).”

“I’m a total bookworm. When I’m not working, I’m usually reading. This necklace is from Lulu Frost. I ordered it on Moda Operandi over the winter and love it so much.”

“Stripes and sequins really are my favorite look. Nothing is better than a classic striped tee (this one is from Chance) and a great sequined skirt. It’s such an easy and fun look!”

Grace’s passion for style, DIY and life in general is seriously contagious. Great feature, GG!

graceatwood

heart you hallie!!

Jeanne

Omg. Love your style, and I love that book Time and Again!

graceatwood

it’s a good one!!!!

Morgan

Love this… can’t wait to see the new apartment!

http://www.MyBeautifulAdventures.com/ Andi Perullo

Love love love this feature! Awesome pics of an awesome blogger!!!

graceatwood

thank you andi! x

Comfy Cozy Couture

Love her…she just seems like the sweetest girl! Great style!

graceatwood

aw, thanks!

Mandy

love your style and would SUPER love to know what lipstick you are wearing! xo

graceatwood

hi mandy! it is NARS heat wave. and old standby

http://pinksole.com/ Rachelle

I love this feature I love her blog and style so much and read it daily.

graceatwood

thank you!

Dose of Dash

I love the Glitter Girl series and it’s great to see detail shots but I find it frustrating that you never show bigger shots to get the feel of the whole space or room. If I want to get a feel for how the fabulous Grace Atwood lives I want to see more than just her glass table. I can see that on her blog any day.

This is not to say I didn’t enjoy the post, just a suggestion! xo

graceatwood

hi there! I’m sorry that we didn’t show more shots of the whole space / room… this was actually done by glitter guide as a favor to me… a few days after the shoot, my boyfriend and I broke up and I moved out… so I wanted to have the feature show more details vs. the whole space since I don’t live there anymore. i’m sorry!

Dose of Dash

Grace I am so sorry! It was a just a suggestion for GG – sorry you felt the need to share this personal info online. Wishing you the best and a new space that you love and that immediately feels like home!

graceatwood

No worries, I just wanted to let you know bc it isn’t GG’s fault! x

http://www.asliceofglam.com/ A Slice of Glam

loooove the skirt! And the elephant business card holder! Would love to know where I can buy it!

graceatwood

Hi! It was a gift from a brand a while back… I’m sorry, I wish I knew where it came from!

Amazing feature on Grace. Not only is she incredibly talented and stylish, she’s also super nice – someone you would want to be best friends with! It shows in everything she does. Love this glimpse into her world!

graceatwood

aw, Lauren you are so sweet! this comment made my morning! xx

Beth

Great feature on S&S!! I have been a loyal fan of hers for over a 18 months now and Grace also does a great job in keeping us ladies updated on beauty trends for hair and make up too! 54 comments on Glitter Guide is kinda a big deal….just saying

my heart just skipped a beat – LOVE the Lulu Frost necklace! Thank you Glitter Guide for bringing Stripes & Sequins to my attention, Grace you are a girl after my own heart and I look forward to reading your blog sat at my desk here in England xo

I just LOVE this feature! Grace is one of my favourite blog ladies; she is so sweet, her style is always spot on, and she shares my sparkle addiction. So of course I’m not at all surprised that her house is equally gorgeous!

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Glitter Guide promises to provide you with glitz and glamour. Our newsletter offers fun, colorful and chic lifestyle tidbits from fashion to fitness; each topic injected with a healthy dose of sparkle.

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Our Free newsletter offers fun, colorful and chic lifestyle tidbits from fashion to fitness; each topic injected with a healthy does of sparkle. We aim to delight, inspire and encourage creative energy!